Griffin vs. Gamburyan

Offering eight bouts, the preliminary portion of the
UFC Live 4 “Marquardt vs. Story” lineup on Sunday at the Consol
Energy Center in Pittsburgh is a lot to digest. Thankfully, it’s
entirely delicious and nutritious food, with fights from the
featherweight, lightweight and welterweight divisions.

The Matchup: Griffin drops back down to 145 pounds, where he
has not competed since 2005 -- the year he handed Urijah Faber
his first loss in an epic battle. Griffin’s dropped his last three
fights, including a controversial decision loss to Nik Lentz, a
considerable drop-off in performance from a fighter that just two
years ago was one of the most promising young faces in the
lightweight division.

Gamburyan, looking to rebound from his September knockout loss to
UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo, is
built along the same lines as Griffin. Both are compact, aggressive
fighters with a strong grappling base and the willingness to trade
strikes. They are comfortable wherever the fight goes.

Griffin’s return to 145 pounds is a serious obstacle, as he was a
fairly thick lightweight. If he can make the cut effectively, he
should have enough standup mojo and diversity in his attack. When
Griffin is on, he chains together strikes, transitions and
takedowns seamlessly. Gamburyan wields a cruder standup style,
hoping to line up his big right hand or take it to the mat. On the
ground, Griffin should be able to handle himself well enough and is
probably a tad quicker in scrambles.

The Pick: Griffin by late stoppage in a rousing
back-and-forth battle.